Chapter 316
A powerful barrier had been erected, but he had ignored it once again.
That wasn't all.
The energy the devil was gathering also dissipated before the Unified Pierce miraculous ability that Chris unleashed.
[You?]
Finally seeming to sense that something was wrong, the devil's face hardened.
Instead of answering, Chris continued to unleash his sword.
Two, three, five, ten times.
Swish! Slice!
Each time his sword moved, the devil's body was cut and sent flying into the air, and in the end, it was sliced to pieces until it couldn't even maintain a proper form.
[W-what...!]
With a puff of black smoke, the devil's body reformed again.
It hadn't taken a major blow, but its face was one of shock.
[How can a mere mortal do this to me?]
“As expected, you have no idea.”
[What?]
Srrr.
'Something' about Chris began to change.
Outwardly, there was no noticeable change.
His energy, his momentum, his atmosphere—it was all the same, but something had definitely changed.
And the devil, realizing what about Chris had changed, spoke in a trembling voice.
[N-no way...? This soul rank is...?]
That's right.
Chris had revealed the soul rank he had been hiding.
And there was a reason the devil was so horrified.
“Now do you understand?”
Chris twisted the corner of his mouth.
“Before me, you are no different from a lowly bug.”
Chris's soul rank was higher than the devil's before him.
***
Devils are great and powerful beings.
So, what kind of power do devils possess?
The power of a devil was different from that of a demonic being, a knight, a mage, or even a magical beast.
The power of all beings in the Middle Realm is ultimately based on physically existing phenomena.
Swordsmanship, magic, magical beasts—it was all the same.
It was even the same for the demonkin of Gehenna, as they were beings close to magical beasts.
Only devils and Constellations had a different source of power.
Their power was spiritual.
In other words, the source of their power was the soul, and the higher the rank of one's soul, the more powerful they became.
‘That means if you have a higher rank, you have an overwhelming advantage over a being with a lower rank.’
This was the reason Chris had desperately tried to obtain the Three Origin Essences to raise his soul rank.
‘But my soul rank is higher than I thought. Even if it's a low-ranking Baron-class, to think my level is higher than a titled noble's?’
This was something that surprised even Chris.
He had expected to be at a level where he wouldn't be pushed back, but the devil before him felt like a lowly bug.
‘Viscount-class... no, perhaps even Count-class.’
Of course, this didn't mean that Chris possessed the same amount of soul power as a devil of such a high rank.
It was simply that his rank was high; the size of his soul's vessel was drastically different.
Strictly speaking, the soul power Chris possessed was far less than that of the devil before him.
‘So, should I say the quality is superior, but the quantity is lacking?’
It was a crude analogy, but it was something like that.
The devil before him seemed to have noticed as well, as it exuded a menacing aura.
[So you were the mortal who recently appeared with the Rank of Ascension. This is perfect. I will offer you to the great one I serve and receive his grace!]
Gooooooo!!
A powerful energy swirled once again.
It was an energy incomparable to before, as if it intended to fight properly.
Fwaat. Slice!
It was useless.
The devil's attack scattered powerlessly, and this time, something unusual followed.
Paaaaaaah!
A brilliant energy of Holy Radiance enveloped the devil's soul.
A sight like a sacred flame purifying something corrupt.
The devil hurriedly retreated, but this time, the blow was not insignificant, as its face turned pale.
[Just why?]
“You fool. Did you really think you could face me after descending with improper qualifications?”
[!!]
That's right.
The reason the devil was being pushed back now was not simply because its soul rank was insufficient.
For a devil to manifest on the mortal plane, it had to acquire the corresponding amount of causality through offerings.
However, the Crown Prince, having been driven into a corner, had failed to offer sufficient sacrifices, and so it had descended with incomplete qualifications.
Chris looked around the main hall.
A large pile of relics caught his eye.
“It seems you tried to supplement your incomplete state by absorbing the power of the relics stored in the Imperial Palace, but it's impossible for you to face me with such an unstable method.”
[!!]
Just as Chris said, the devil had tried to make up for its lack of power by absorbing the relics that were stored in piles in the Imperial Palace.
But it was just a shortcut.
Unlike a proper descent, its power had several unstable aspects.
Of course, they were so faint that they shouldn't have been problematic openings, but unfortunately, its opponent was Chris.
Because there was no way he would miss even the most minute opening.
[Don't be ridiculous. You're just a mortal.]
Paaaaaaah!!!
The main hall began to shake as if in an earthquake.
It was drawing upon the power of the relics piled in the hall with all its might.
And yet.
“You know something?”
Chris stretched out his hand.
“That interfering with this sort of thing is my specialty.”
The energy of the relics that had been flowing to the devil came to a halt.
Chris had exerted his control.
‘In a simple contest of strength, I might not win, but in a battle of control like this, I won't lose to anyone.’
It was a given, but in terms of the sheer 'size' of control, the devil had the advantage.
But Chris possessed an exquisite operational skill that no one could imitate.
Especially since the devil's power was unstable from not having descended perfectly, and with Chris having the superior soul rank, the outcome was decided in an instant.
One by one, the control of the relics passed to Chris, and each time, the devil's power weakened noticeably.
[W-what?]
Finally realizing it was cornered, the devil tried to flee to Gehenna, but its face soon turned white as a sheet.
It had remembered the bet it made with Chris before the fight.
It was a promise made on its soul, so it could not escape.
“Didn't I tell you? That I wouldn't let you go.”
Chris stretched his hand toward the devil.
Paaaaaaah.
Chris's spiritual pressure extended out and enveloped the devil.
It was Myriad Demons' Submission.
“Kneel.”
[!!]
Following that, an unbelievable sight unfolded.
Crack!
The devil, unable to defy the command, fell to its knees.
Not stopping there, Chris pressed his finger down in the air, as if crushing a bug.
Kwwaaaaak!!
Like a bug crushed under a finger, the devil was slammed into the floor.
Having descended without proper qualifications in the first place, and now having lost the relics that supplemented its power, it had become powerless before Myriad Demons' Submission.
‘Moreover, my Myriad Demons' Submission is currently in a much-strengthened state from using the power of the relics.’
Step, Chris walked toward the fallen devil.
[You... you....]
The devil ground its teeth as if it couldn't believe the current situation.
[What are you going to do to me?]
“Of course, I have to kill you. You even have to ask?”
[!!]
Fear crept into the devil's eyes.
To fear death. It was a sight unbecoming of a transcendent being, but this was how ordinary devils, not those of the great ranks, were.
‘The truly transcendent beings are the great ranks of the 4th Circle and above. These guys are closer to bugs that are just strong.’
Chris thought with a cold gaze.
He wanted to kill it right away, but there was something he had to do.
‘I have to use this thing to become one step stronger.’
There was a way to become stronger through a devil.
‘I need to obtain the foundation to reach 8-Star.’
It was an astounding story.
He had just reached 7-Star a short while ago, and now he was aiming for 8-Star?
But it was necessary.
‘I'll have to join the war against the Four Kings' Castle soon, and I need to at least reach the vicinity of entering 8-Star to achieve the plan I'm aiming for.’
Preparing the foundation to reach 8-Star in such a short period was an impossible task even for Chris, but by using a devil, it was possible.
‘Let's begin.’
He placed his hand on the devil's head.
“I'll give you a chance.”
[W-what?]
“Try to endure it somehow.”
Fwoosh.
A deep, dark blackness rose from Chris's hand.
It was Dark Demonic Energy.
The Dark Demonic Energy directly enveloped the devil's soul.
[Y-you bastard! Kuaaaaaaak!!]
The devil screamed, resisting the Dark Demonic Energy that was digging into its soul.
‘I must subjugate the devil with pure Dark Demonic Energy alone.’
The 8-Star level is called the realm of the Absolute.
One must go beyond simply toying with the laws and be able to completely dominate and control one's surroundings.
In particular, to obtain the kind of 'Domain of Dominion' that Chris was aiming for, his Dark Demonic Energy had to possess the perfect authority of domination.
‘By subjugating the soul of a devil, a being with a transcendent rank, with my Dark Demonic Energy, I will obtain the perfect authority of domination.’
The Dark Demonic Energy trying to devour the devil's soul and the devil's energy clashed fiercely.
A devil was a devil, after all.
It wasn't easy.
The devil's soul intensely pushed back the Dark Demonic Energy.
But Chris didn't back down either.
This time, he used no tricks, not even the subtleties of his operational skill, and pushed forward purely with the energy of the Dark Demonic House.
Surprisingly, the Dark Demonic Energy began to encroach upon the devil's soul, little by little.
But suddenly, the devil let out a scream.
[Kuaaaaaaaak!]
An explosive energy began to rage from the devil's soul.
‘Energizing its spiritual body!’
It had sacrificed a part of its soul and converted it into power.
It was an act that would permanently lower its soul rank, but it did so because it was cornered.
‘This is dangerous.’
If he were caught up in this, Chris wouldn't escape unscathed either.
The surest method was to annihilate the devil right then and there.
But Chris shook his head and continued his reckless challenge.
‘I can do it.’
Paaaaah!
He drew out his Dark Demonic Energy with all his might.
He wasn't just using the Demonic Energy from his core, but mobilizing the power of his soul as well.
‘I have to combine my soul rank with my Dark Demonic Energy.’
If one were to describe the essence of his soul in one word, it would be 'Immense Pride'.
A nature that was lofty and alone, looking down on all others.
The essence of such a soul combined as one with the dominating nature of his Dark Demonic Energy.
Paaaaah!
An energy of domination, on a different level than before, pressed down on the devil's soul, preventing the energizing of its spiritual body.
From the strain of using such excessive power, blood trickled from Chris's nose, but he didn't stop.
[Kuaaaak! You bastard...!!]
But the devil did not just take it meekly.
It let out a scream and struggled desperately, its energy fluctuating wildly like a monster rampaging in a cage.
Chris's Dark Demonic Energy, which had held the upper hand for a moment, could not withstand it and began to be pushed back.
[You think I'll go down like this! Even if my soul is annihilated, I will kill you!]
the devil shouted, its eyes shining menacingly.
An enormous energy began to flicker from its soul, as if it were truly about to self-destruct.
For a moment, Chris felt a fierce sense of crisis.
This couldn't go on.
To think he could subjugate a devil, a transcendent being, with only the dominating power of his Dark Demonic Energy. Perhaps it had been an impossible task from the start.
But for some reason?
He should have given up this reckless attempt and annihilated the devil's soul right now, but.
‘I can't stop here.’
Above all, he had this intuition.
That he could do it.
In that moment, a thought suddenly came to Chris.
That there was nothing in this world he could not dominate.
No matter what it was.
All things in the world, be it light or darkness.
In the end, they would kneel before him.
‘Therefore, I can subjugate an incomplete devil like this as much as I want.’
In that moment, the devil's rampaging soul came to a dead stop.
It had been completely bound by the Dark Demonic Energy.
And around Chris, an unbelievable miracle had occurred.
Saaaaaah.
A domain of darkness had unfolded.
It was a 'Domain of Dominion'.
It was barely spread out only in his immediate vicinity and didn't even have a clear form, but it was unmistakably a Domain of Dominion.
[Ah....]
The devil, meeting Chris's cold gaze, let out a moan.
[S-save... me....]